The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
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Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE: Number of records for 2022 = 17
Added in 2022 from a previous year = 2

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
[View PDF]		Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) by Mark Shields
Compare with: Furtive Forktail   Eastern Forktail  
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.

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Click on county for list of all its records for Rambur's Forktail
Flight Charts
Distribution Occupies the eastern half of the state, with scattered records in the western Piedmont; only one county record (Avery) for the mountains. Thus, it is unclear if it occurs statewide, though it certainly is very scarce in the western third of the state.
Abundance Common to very common in the lower Coastal Plain, particularly around brackish pools along the coast. Generally common elsewhere in the Coastal Plain. Uncommon to locally common in the eastern and southeastern Piedmont, rare in the central Piedmont, and very rare farther westward.
Flight The flight is from mid-March into late November, at least in the Coastal Plain, sparingly from late February and to mid-December. In the Piedmont, the flight begins in early April, and ends by late October. The sole mountain flight date is in mid-June.
Habitat Bay lakes, haline pools and shores, and heavily vegetated ponds.
Behavior Tends to perch on low vegetation in the open, where easily seen.
Comments This is one of the few damselflies that is quite common along and near the immediate coast. The range in the western half of the state still needs much elucidation, especially as there are no recent records west of Orange and Mecklenburg counties.
State Rank S5
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2022-01-03 16:46:29
Photo Gallery for Rambur's Forktail   34 photos are available.
Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Greene, 2022-06-20, Contentnea Creek at Daughtry's Boat Landing, Hookerton		Photo 2 by: R. Newman

Comment: Carteret, 2021-10-15, FOMA - MerVapLt. Male @ -76.682554, 34.696094
Photo 3 by: Hunter Phillips

Comment: Wayne, 2021-06-27, - CLNE		Photo 4 by: Lori Arent

Comment: Granville, 2021-05-23, Falls Lake shoreline, at Brickhouse Road access
Photo 5 by: Matt Spangler

Comment: Richmond; C, 2021-05-06, Lake McKinney (lake & hatcheries)		Photo 6 by: Kyle Kittelberger

Comment: Dare; OBM, 2020-05-26, Pea Island NWR, South Pond
Photo 7 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Onslow, 2020-05-05, Stones Creek Game Land, Dry Lake area		Photo 8 by: Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf

Comment: Richmond; C, 2020-04-26, Lake McKinney fish hatchery - Many mated pairs
Photo 9 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Craven, 2018-06-16, Swift Creek; 7 km section between Cool Springs Boating Access Area and NC 43 bridge, by kayak - females		Photo 10 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Chowan, 2018-06-09, Edenton National Fish Hatchery
Photo 11 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Edgecombe, 2018-05-25, Etheridge Pond, Tar River Game Land		Photo 12 by: Owen McConnell

Comment: Richmond; C, 2018-05-19, Cloudy and rainy all day - male and andromorph female in wheel
Photo 13 by: Owen McConnell

Comment: Richmond; C, 2018-05-19, McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery ponds - Immature heteromorph females		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Lenoir, 2018-05-01, Neuseway Nature Park, Kinston
Photo 15 by: C. Rose

Comment: Beaufort, 2017-09-27, Goose Creek State Park		Photo 16 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt

Comment: Lee, 2017-08-25, Watson Lake at Town Park, Broadway. - Males, including one preying on a teneral female Variable Dancer.
Photo 17 by: Rob Van Epps

Comment: Mecklenburg, 2017-08-12, Seen around retaining pond in SW Mecklenburg County		Photo 18 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Washington, 2017-06-16, Conaby Creek, from boating access area to 2.25 km upstream by kayak
Photo 19 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Brunswick, 2017-04-12, Waccamaw River from Pireway Boating Access Area to 6 km upstream		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Tyrrell , 2016-09-17, Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk, Columbia
Photo 21 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Columbus, 2016-07-22, Lake Waccamaw, southern end between dam and pier		Photo 22 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Hyde, 2016-06-19, Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
Photo 23 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Carteret, 2016-05-08, ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest. Photo of immature female.		Photo 24 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Pamlico, 2015-09-04, Upper Broad Creek at Lee
Photo 25 by: Kristy Baker

Comment: Currituck, 2015-06-09, Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary - Multiple individuals seen but not counted.		Photo 26 by: Conrad Wernett

Comment: New Hanover, 2014-05-24 - Sutton Lake
Photo 27 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Wake, 2013-08-16, Harris Lake-paddling the shore NE of New Hill-Holleman Rd. - incl. 1 heteromorph female		Photo 28 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Ed Corey

Comment: Bladen, 2013-06-04, seen at Jones Lake State Park
Photo 29 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Onslow, 2011-09-13, Coastal Carolina Community College		Photo 30 by: Curtis Smalling

Comment: Dare; Mainland, 2011-07-09, Alligator River NWR